Portfolio

As usually is the case before a SOCAP conference, ID’s RSS reader is filled with news, thoughts, and opinions on impact investing, where “money meets meaning.” Here are some highlights that we found interesting, and watch for a post next week on why ID is attending SOCAP.

Invested Development is looking for a highly motivated individual with experience in start-ups, investment analysis, or business lending to serve as our Senior Investment Analyst. This is a senior position in a small, exciting, young firm. Candidates should have a keen interest in international development, venture capital, entrepreneurship, and technology. The … read more

“The (Not So) Dangerous Promise of Impact Investing” by Miguel Granier and the Invested Development team on Next Billion

“Nilima Achwal recently detailed a conversation with Felix Oldenburg of Ashoka Europe in an article titled “The Dangerous Promise of Impact Investing” on Next Billion. The post was billed as a “radical critique of the current hype surrounding impact investing” in which Oldenburg not only attacks the hype, but the industry as a whole. As … read more

Beyond Profit interviewed seed-stage impact investor, Ben Powell of Agora Partnerships. Powell says that the most important thing to look for in a social enterprise is the impact entrepreneur. The entrepreneur, Powell says, is more important than the business model itself. It’s much easier to change a business model than it is to change an entrepreneur. Also, the simplest plans can make the biggest … read more

There has been a lot of talk recently about what makes a “social” entrepreneur or an “impact” investor. It’s an appropriate conversation at this stage of the game. Neither term is well defined. Unfortunately, ID has neither the resources nor the clout to move the needle on the bigger debate, but we can (and do) define both for ourselves. More importantly, we put our money where our mouth is.

Every week at ID, we read a lot about what we do and what we like. This week we read a lot about impact investing – the growth and challenges in the industry and the path to matching investors and social entrepreneurs.

Morgan Simon emphasizes the importance of measuring investment impact carefully and critically. Organizations like GIIRS are “creating a verifiable standard” and contributing to the professionalization of impact investing. Simon reminds us that not all investments in emerging markets are … read more

A long-time impact Angel Investor recently told us that he thought firms like ID and First Light Ventures are helping professionalize the field of seed-stage impact investing. His comment was based on the more systematic diligence and portfolio management that comes with paid investment management. In his experience, the only people funding high impact start-ups where individuals that lack the time, focus, and (let’s face it) personal motivation to make sure each investment has real … read more

The Unreasonable Institute Empowers the Public to Choose the Next Wave of High‐Impact Social Entrepreneurs

Global donations will determine which entrepreneurs gain admission to esteemed mentorship programBOULDER, Colo. –– Starting Jan. 20, 45 social entrepreneurs will showcase their ventures in an online platform called the Unreasonable Finalist Marketplace (http://marketplace.unreasonableinstitute.org/). For 50 days, people from around the world are invited to vote with their wallets on the most viable ventures. The first … read more

In our last post we introduced our Pareto Holdings concept. Pareto is a socially oriented holding company that swaps Preferred Stock shares in nescient (but profitable) impact ventures for its own Common Shares. The thought is that a large holding company’s Common Shares will be increasingly more liquid than a single investors Preferred Shares in an early stage company.

If you missed that post, here’s the link. We ended the last post before fully … read more

Over the last few posts we have been sharing our thoughts on the industry in general. We started ID last year because there was a need in the market for seed investment capital for impact-oriented startups. We thought the solution was simple. Let’s do what they did in Silicon Valley! Then came reality.

Silicon Valley has throngs of experienced industry executives with deep pockets fresh off their latest IPO. They not only throw money at … read more

Capitalism

The businesses our industry is supporting are often referred to as social enterprises, social ventures, social businesses or impact enterprises. They are, by and large, businesses that not only do-no-harm, but intend to do-good[1]. Nomenclature aside, it is an industry that requires the belief that capitalism is the most effective way we know to efficiently bring products and services to the masses.

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Securities are offered solely through Bequia Securities, LLC, a US-registered broker-dealer located in Arlington, MA. Bequia Securities is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of FINRA/SIPC. Check the background of this firm at FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Invested Development is independent of Bequia Securities.